Unleashed
by shadowwhat
Summary: There's something to be said about keeping all of your feelings bottled up. You can avoid problems, put on fake smiles, and ignore the bigger issues. Eventually, whether you want to or not, they'll be unleashed.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N**

 **Hello~ I told silver I would start this so~ long ago, wrote 2000 words, then never opened it again!**

 **It's taking so long for me to write anything, and even then I rewrite so often...**

 **Enough excuses, I really want some opinions on this chapter, as it will be the only chapter for this story until I can make a plot for it.**

 **Do enjoy.**

* * *

 **Narrator P.O.V**.

 **Glynda Goodwitch's Combat Education Class**

It all began like a normal combat class. Which means it ends with the humiliation of a certain blonde knight. It was probably unfair of Jaune to think so poorly of his teacher, but

she always seemed to want to pit him against the brutish leader of team CRDL, Cardin Winchester, who was always in an advantageous position with his large mace. In fact, he could confidently bet his next few weeks of lunch that he was made to face Cardin again today. It always led the same results, Jaune being beaten and Cardin grinning smugly at his downed opponent, before walking away with an (in Jaune's opinion) undeserved strut.

"The last match for today is Jaune Arc of team JNPR and Cardin Winchester of team CRDL. It will begin when both students are ready and I say go." After saying her piece, Glynda stepped back. As soon as she turned, mutterings sprung up around the bleachers. Jaune knew he didn't seem like the best fighter, and he lost every match so far, but he couldn't help it! His father, bless the old buggers heart, had only taught him how to kill, intimidate, and defend his own weaknesses properly, and he wasn't about to go on a killing spree in his combat class just because a few people insulted him. Listening closely, even if he didn't want to, he could make out what everyone was saying about him.

'Loser's up again, hopefully he puts up a fight.' 'Arc doesn't even stand a chance!' 'This should be over pretty quick.' 'Pyrrha, you and Ren might wanna get some bandages ready.'

That last remark sounded awfully familiar, and with a sinking feeling in his gut, he turned his head slightly to glance at the seats his team occupied. Sure enough he saw Yang sitting beside his partner with a concerned look, and he watched as Ren and Pyrrha hesitantly nodded. His self confidence sufficiently torn to shreds, he decided to get the fight over with.

Facing Cardin and drawing his weapon, Jaune brought the shield form of Crocea Mors up to his chest, leaving just enough room to look over it. Trying his best not to be frustrated by his opponent's insufferable, arrogant smirk, he thought back to his lessons in the woods with his father, willing himself to remember any non-lethal moves to take down his adversary. No such luck, but then again, luck was never on his side anyway.

Jaune could never afford to fight reactively, because all it would take is one twitch of the wrist while he rolled and, _slash,_ off with Cardin's leg. It was better, in his opinion, to be a loser, rather than a murderer. Jaune had done great when fighting the Grimm, even coordinating his team in an attempt to keep them safe as well. Mindless Grimm were no problem for the knight, Deathstalker notwithstanding, but cocky, arrogant, ass-faces like Cardin, who always fell under the 'do not kill' list were another thing.

While on the subject of killing, why did it always seem like Cardin wanted him dead? It was an unnecessary aggression that puzzled Jaune. Maybe Cardin thought he was too weak? Or, just as a thought, Cardin might be just a bit of a pissant? Whatever the case, Jaune was getting sick and tired of it. Not that anything he could do would stop Cardin's attitude. Well, nothing short of a swift decapitation, but then he'd be back to the whole murderer subject and he really needed to get his thoughts organized before the fight.

"Are both of you ready to fight? Then go." Glynda Goodwitch was not a woman who liked to mince words, it seems.

Quickly clearing unrelated and unimportant thoughts from his head, Jaune focused on two things: His sword and shield. The shield needed to move constantly, providing different angles for Cardin's mace to slip off. All of his remaining attention would be focused on not killing Cardin with his sword.

Cardin chose to rush directly at Jaune, who forced himself to sidestep just like his Dad taught him. Minus the twirling backswing followed by a careless flick that would most likely leave a giant gash in Cardin's throat, if he's not outright decapitated. Forcing the grotesque image from his mind, Jaune back stepped twice to evade Cardin's surprisingly controlled swings. Jaune knew by now how much a solid hit from one of those swings would do to him, having ribs cracked and joints dislocated. He thanked Dust aura could heal people so quickly, or he would never leave a match without being crippled in some way.

Realizing he had lost focus in the fight, Jaune felt his face turn red, before immediately going pale at the sight of Cardin's mace, barely 10 inches from his face. Panicking, Jaune brought his sword up with a twirl, aiming for his opponent's wrist. Less than a split second later, he pushed his shield arm up while retracting his blade from the crippling hit, causing himself to lose balance and be unable to defend against Cardin's deadly mace.

*Smack*

Jaune took the brunt of the hit on his chest, hoping he wouldn't be too hurt from the impact. He was painfully disappointed when searing pain shot from his torso, leaving him unable to breathe and making it very difficult to think properly. Pushing most of his aura to the source of his pain, Jaune tried to push his focus outside himself, to see if the fight had been called off yet.

Sure enough, Goodwitch stood over him, firm glare in place, directly solely at him. She was blaming him, not verbally, but he could feel the intent, as if she thought he wasn't trying hard enough! Didn't anyone understand how deadly his weapon was? Crocea Mors: **The Yellow Death**?! Named not by Jaune, but by his ancestors!

He needed to calm down, to stop being so mad at them. He was just angry in general, and the more anger he felt, the less aura made it to his wound, which made it hurt longer, and that ultimately pissed him off even worse! It was a downward spiral he definitely needed to stop, but he couldn't find a good enough reason to do so. Cardin had definitely just gone for a death blow, obviously banking on Jaunes inattention to the battle to react properly. It had almost cost him a hand, but it seemed like Jaune was the only person with an idea of what might have happened if he wasn't so quick.

"The victor is Cardin Winchester. If you could stay after class, Mr. Arc? I feel we need to have a conversation about basic combat skills." Glynda Goodwitch sounded far away to him, but that could just be him collecting all the aura he could to focus on healing his body.

He couldn't hear anything outside of the ring, but he could feel all the stares, the unspoken accusations and insults were common, but there was a hidden atmosphere making him tense that he could only describe with one word; Expectancy. People were expecting him to lose, already assuming that he was weak, worthless, skill less, maybe some kind souls attributed it to inexperience, but that was still unfair in his mind. At no point had he done anything reckless, or unplanned. He had never been physically beaten in strength, and he sure as hell didn't get touched by the mace until the end.

Another thing: why wasn't Cardin getting in trouble even though he nearly killed a classmate. He'd have to ask that as soon as he could breathe clearly again.

It had only taken a few minutes to get everyone out of the classroom, mostly because Glynda Goodwitch's hawk-like glare promising detention to anyone who wasted time. Turning back to face Jaune in the arena, she took on a more contemplative expression. In all honesty, she knew exactly what she wanted to say, just not how to say it. Best to just spit it out and work out the kinks on the way.

"Mr. Arc, I'm afraid I'm going to have to remove you from my classes if this is the best you can perform. I don't know if you just aren't skilled enough or if you think my class is some kind of joke, but I will not tolerate a student who doesn't apply himself!"

Jaune was stunned speechless. He couldn't understand how she got to her conclusions. Did she really think he came to class just to get his ass kicked by Cardin? He might not have been the most astute student, but he didn't have a death wish! Maybe he would just have to prove himself to everyone, but there weren't many ways aside from doing better in class - and inevitably injuring another student. Maybe he could reason with her?

"Miss Goodwitch, I promise I take your class seriously, I always pay attention during lectures and when the students spar!" He would not be kicked out of this class for being lazy, that would be a death wish for when he returned home.

"How am I supposed to believe that when you are defeated in every single match you have against Cardin? I have never seen improvement, not even enough to know you're learning from the experience!" She shouted as she began to get angry.

"Maybe letting me spar against a different opponent, or sending me against some training dummies, or-or anything but a living, breathing human being! Crocea Mors is a powerful, sharp, deadly instrument used in the art of killing grimm! It's been finely crafted to carve through anything it gets swung at, usually grimm bone armour. Flimsy plate metal would be easily torn!" Jaune ranted and fumed at his teacher, hoping she could understand where he was coming from.

"No weapon will cut directly through aura, Jaune. I don't care if your sword is made of the toughest material in remnant, it won't go through both Cardin's armour and his aura. Even if, by some miracle, your sword does manage to hit Mr. Winchester, it should lose enough power for him to be safe." She tried to sound diplomatic, but to Jaune all she was doing was saying that he couldn't hurt Cardin if he tried.

"Miss Goodwitch, you're underestimating my strength and the power of my blade! I don't want to-" Jaune began to plead his case again, but was cut off by Glynda, who just wanted Jaune to try harder in class. Maybe the threat of expulsion would be a good motivator?

"Jaune Arc, I have said my piece about how I want you to act in my classroom. Either you conduct yourself appropriately in my class and improve, or I will be forced to have you expelled. Your choice, Mr. Arc." With that said, she left the arena.

"Great, expulsion, just what I need. Anything else you want to fuck me over with, Murphy?" Jaune shouted angrily into the air.

* * *

 **That Night, Team JNPR's Room**

"Listen, all I ask is that we give the problem a few days before we have to go out and force them to fix it ourselves. There's no reason for this behavior to continue in a school made for professionals." Pyrrha Nikos, Mistral Champion, was apparently also tired of the one-sided matches Jaune seemed to have against Cardin.

Jaune had just walked up to his dorm room door when he heard his partners words. He knew that she was most likely talking about Cardin's attitude, or maybe even Glynda's constant insistence that he fight the Boarish leader of team CRDL, but there was still that spark of aggression that came from their mistrust in him. Sure, he probably hadn't made an impression of being the most skilled fighter, but he tried to make up for it by trusting his teammates to watch his back while he made a plan to kill the Deathstalker on the bridge. He had faith in their abilities, and they trusted him to lead them through a plan to kill the Grimm. That had been the time they came closest to resembling a team, trusting in each other and moving like a machine.

Anymore it seemed like Pyrrha always had an eye on him when she thought he wasn't paying attention, and she always seemed to be jumping at the chance to help him with anything. While that might have been appreciated, it could only be so when in moderation. The way it was at the moment, Jaune was afraid she'd be asking if he needed help changing soon! (Not that Pyrrha would necessarily deny him help changing, but she would be far too embarrassed to ask!)

Deciding to pretend he hadn't heard anything about their plans, in the hopes that they would come to him first before causing a scene, he entered the room as if sleep was the only thing he desired. Making a wobbly beeline for his bed, he ignored his teammates looks of concern. He had almost made it to the safe haven of the covers when Pyrrha asked the question he had been expecting, followed by a concerned statement by Ren.

"Jaune, is everything alright? You were down there with Goodwitch for quite awhile."

"You seem... immensely tired."

It was the same routine he had found himself in for the past week. Fight Cardin, lose, be coddled by team. It was as if he was a child with three overprotective siblings! They wouldn't give him the chance to prove he would be fine without them, they were always watching him carefully, asking if he needed help with any and every little thing.

He tried to think of an inconspicuous answer quickly, and came up with something he was fairly proud of. After all, the only part he didn't want everyone to hear about was the _slight_ chance he could be expelled. He didn't really belong at Beacon anyway, as he forged and lied his way in.

"Miss Goodwitch just held me over to lecture me on my participation. I think she's worried about my lack of progress."

Not exactly a lie, but definitely not the whole truth. He only withheld her threat, which seemed fairly empty in the first place. If she tried to expel him, she would need the approval of the headmaster. Maybe she thought he would be worried about being kicked out and he would try harder in class? That kind of manipulative behavior really pissed him off, but he wouldn't just call her out on it. She was a teacher after all.

"I wish she would be a little more lenient for you."

He almost scoffed. It wasn't that Goodwitch was singling him from the group, she just wouldn't listen to what he wanted to do. In a way, that was understandable, she _was_ the teacher. He just couldn't fathom why she wouldn't let him prove he could fight any other way, such as Grimm, or maybe training dummies.

"Don't worry about it, Pyr, I can handle it." Or he hoped so, or else he might not make it through to the end of the year.

Laying down without removing his armor, Jaune figured he just needed to get some sleep and relax. Maybe Tuesday would be so much better?

* * *

 _ **A/N**_

 **Careful what you ask for, Jaune. I'm not done with you yet.**

 **Yes, new story, first chapter, but I'm a little stuck where I am with Champion, so I decided to see if anyone had any challenges up. Luckily for me, Silver Truth had a few prepared already! (Yeah, like two months ago. Maybe four.)**

 **Thank you very much for reading this, review if you could please, I just want a little bit of feedback, in case I've misspelled something, or used incorrect grammar.**

 **Have a wonderful day.**


	2. Enough

**A/N**

 **I absolutely love posting new chapters and seeing views, reviews, follows, and favorites!**

 **Normally I will not be responding to reviews - not because I'm snubbing them, but because it seems like a lot of extra word count to me. That being said, a big thank you to xXWarrior-AngelXx, Kuro kaze no aka kira, The SENDER and the TRAVELER, and Me (guest).**

 **In response to AnimeSpiderArcFan, I love that you're so willing to help, and you have some interesting idea's, but I don't think I'll be using them. In fact, you've already laid the foundation for a whole story on your own, so I bet you could write something fantastic out of it.**

 **For those of you who have read the challenge, and are worried that I'm going to go ballistic with the bashing, or drastically change everything to fit my point of view, you can relax. I'm not just going to make Jaune a hate magnet, and I'm certainly not going to make him a pansy.**

 **Amazing feedback, for the first chapter. I can't wait to read what I get after this...**

 **Enough notes, let's move on to the story!**

 **Do enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter Two: Enough**

Let it be known, to all who care, sleeping in his armor was the worst idea for Jaune's health. Upon waking up, he rolled off of his bed and forgot to account for the extra weight, which sent him stumbling into the table beside it. Turning to face the room's other occupants, he saw Pyrrha giggling, Ren watching him with a bit of worry, and Nora… holding a camera. Wonderful, now that his daily dose of shame was out of the way, they needed to get ready for class.

After taking a quick shower, Jaune discovered a _new_ problem. He wouldn't be able to wear his sweatshirt for combat class. Or any of his usual clothes for that matter, as they were all dirty. Scrounging up an old white shirt, he put it in a duffle bag with a newer pair of jeans, simply tossing his armor on top.

"Come on guys, lets get history class out of the way." Today was shaping up to be an absolutely wonderful day, a wonderful day to go back to bed, anyway. Pessimistic attitude aside, Jaune felt pretty good while being surrounded by his teammates. Fighting the urge to chuckle, he took a glance at hus team as they got prepared. Seeing as everyone was ready, he left the room.

Noting the way his team quickly followed him out, Jaune made the decision right there to never let anything hinder them. Even if that meant being more agressive in combat. He wouldn't just stand off to the side while they became outstanding hunters, just as he wouldn't be left behind by them.

They would stand together as the greatest team Beacon had ever seen. But first, they need to get in a hurry, or they would be late.

* * *

 **Cafeteria**

History had, _thankfully_ , been fairly short, seeing as their teacher decided to let them study some material from the textbook. That's not to say the class wasn't just as boring as usual, but it was far easier to learn at their own pace, rather than trying to follow along with the motor-mouthed teacher. No offence meant, of course, but when students had to record your lessons just to play them slowed down later, there was usually a problem with your methods. That particular subject was neither here nor there, at the moment, food was the word of the hour.

Grabbing a sandwich and some chips, along with a glass of water, Jaune was the first person of their little group to sit down. Quickly digging into his meal, he had nearly finished his chips when team RWBY, sans Weiss, sat down. Weiss would join them shortly, but not before grabbing the most well prepared lunch she could. The rest of his team showed up shortly after, and an awkward silence came over the table.

"So, how's uh, how's life?" Ruby's voice started strong, but died down when she realized she didn't know what to say. Poor girl, she seemed even more socially awkward than himself!

Chuckling softly, Jaune decided to go along with the conversation, even if only to help Ruby. The socially awkward need to stick together, after all.

"I suppose life's been good, I honestly can't think of any place I'd rather be right now. How about you guys?" Gesturing to the rest of the table's occupants, he went back to eating his meal. That seemed to be enough to work with, as team JNPR quickly dived into trivial topics to kill time. Lunch passed relatively quickly, when compared to Grimm Studies. Then again, Professor Port's class made snails look fast. Of course, there were daily lesson plans, along with tests and textbook exams, so it wasn't right to say they weren't learning. They were just being perpetually annoyed during the process.

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and as the bell rang for the classes to change, Jaune felt the little seed of doubt and uncertainty blossom into a full flower made entirely of worry and panic. Forcing down the feelings, he steeled himself for the upcoming class.

* * *

 **Combat Class**

Jaune supposed it was time to fess up to his teammates, to let them know what would happen if he lost his fight later that day. He never got the chance, However, because Glynda called for all of her students attention. Ball of turmoil beginning to bubble it's way back up his throat, Jaune could probably predict what she was going to say.

"For today's class, I would like to start off by having a short match. Jaune Arc of team JNPR, and Cardin Winchester of team CRDL, please join me in the arena." When louder than a harsh whisper broke out amongst the students, Glynda slapped her crop on her gloves.

Faster than an eye could blink, the two leaders stood before her.

"Good, now then, Mr Arc here has been less than enthusiastic about my course, and he doubts my teaching methods. More than that, he doubts the strength and safety of his peers. Today, Mr Arc shall be fighting against Mr Winchester, and should Jaune lose, he will be expelled from our fine school." She looked on, seemingly satisfied as the crowd became deathly silent. No one dared to even whisper a word, fearing what might come of it.

For the members of JNPR and RWBY, this was a startling, unfair, and all around senseless bout. The fact that Jaune would be pitted against another student just to keep his right to stay in school was just mind boggling.

"Let this be a lesson for all of you, I will expect nothing less than the best from **all** of my students." Dragging her sharp gaze across the stands, she nodded when she believed they understood.

Not a single one of them would dare to slack off in her class again.

"You may begin now." With barely a glance towards the two in the arena, she gave them permission to start.

Attempting to ignore the pressure his teacher just placed on him, Jaune took a deep breath and drew Crocea Mors, quickly taking up a flexible stance, one that would hopefully allow him to dodge Cardin's mace _and_ counter if the opportunity arose. Taking just a moment longer to observe how his fellow students reacted, he felt agitation when he saw just how many had pulled out their scrolls. Refocusing on Cardin, he was fairly underwhelmed when his opponent chose to charge in a straight line, mace held to the side for a telegraphed swipe. Blatantly obvious tactics aside, Cardin certainly didn't make it into beacon with his… _good looks_ , he was extremely tough, with a speed that could easily put him directly in front of unprepared foes.

Jaune was not one such foe. Moving with a suddenness that could startle a Grimm, he dropped to his knee, before kicking off the ground and rolling behind Cardin. The old "Bull and Matador" was a tried and true Arc technique, even though it was limited in use. Standing up and immediately retaking his previous stance, Jaune prepared to retreat from another charge, before he noticed something odd.

Cardin was standing across from him, mace resting on his shoulder. An obvious opening, Cardin's attempt at taunting Jaune and getting him to act first. Jaune already knew about all of the tricks Cardin could pull, so he wouldn't be fazed by something so simple. Although Cardin's cocky smirk was causing Jaune a particular discomfort.

Agitation.

Jaune wanted to smash that arrogant bastard into the next century, but if this is all that Cardin was going to do, then Jaune would need to close the distance himself. He was fighting to stay with his team, after all. Taking a curving path towards his opponent, Jaune raised his shield in preparation to bash Winchester into oblivion. He didn't realize Cardin's plan until it was too late. Stepping into the space his opponent had just vacated, Jaune slid on the small patch of ice covering the ground. Cardin had used a small sample of Dust to place a layer of ice, and Jaune had just _literally_ ran into it. Jaune had just enough time to look up as a familiar mace closed in. **Smash!** What would normally be a deciding, if not outright lethal, blow to most students and Grimm left Jaune reeling, barely able to see where Cardin was, a position he himself quickly rolled away from.

Standing up again, Jaune couldn't keep his thoughts in order, a fact he attributed to the mild concussion he must've been given. Taking his time to get his thoughts in order, Jaune found his vision becoming darker. Fighting to stay awake, Jaune tenses his body, grit his teeth - and was promptly shoulder checked to the floor.

"Never take your eyes of your opponent, Mr Arc. Are you able to continue? Rise if you wish to."

Would this really be it? Would he actually allow some ass-faced, arrogant, shitwad of a person separate him from his team, his friends?

 **Fuck No.**

As he was rising to his feet, Jaune's head had never been more clear, nor had he ever set himself to such a simple goal. Win.

Choosing not to waste any more time, Jaune took the initiative and charged Cardin once more, but this time he took a more direct route. His opponent took this opportunity to line up what would surely be a devastating blow. That is, if it ever connected. Stepping to the side of Cardin's mace at the last minute, Jaune swung his blade in a simple, obvious downward arc into Cardin's Armor. And then through it, as if the material was actually made of paper.

One second. That's all the time it took to Cardin to be thrown into shock.

Two seconds, now Mrs Goodwitch was leaping into action.

Three seconds, four, five, and now Jaune had realized what he'd just done. Looking up he felt himself become restrained by Glynda's semblance, not that he would have continued attacking a downed opponent. Turning his face to gaze into the stands, he received mixed expressions, from respect, to fear, and even a few wore horror so blatantly. Did they think he intended for this to happen? He just wanted to stay with his friends. Did he regret what he had done? Only that he had to wound a fellow student just to prove his worth.

"Jaune Arc, please follow me to Ozpin's Office, it seems there is much we need to discus." After assuring that Cardin would receive immediate medical attention, she had quickly spun to face the Arc teen.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Welp. Here she is. Let me know what you think? :D**

 **I'm very tired. I'll be posting this chapter at about five in the morning, so do tell me if I make any glaring mistakes, please.**


	3. Uncertainty

**A/N**

 **Thank you for the motivation, everyone!**

 **It's been quite a while, so I'll try to keep this short. Tell me what you like seeing, tell me what you hate seeing, and I'll do my best to make it pretty.**

 **Do enjoy.**

* * *

Jaune was unsure of how he should feel, walking towards the elevator that would lead to the headmaster's office. If he were honest, fear was the most prominent, a fear born of what might happen, now that he had injured another student. Would they punish him? Or maybe they would expel him? Perhaps they had already contacted the police, was he going to jail for this? Above all of these fears was a more personal concern, what would happen to his team? If terrible things were to happen, he would want his team to be safe, because he could never forgive himself if his actions hurt them. They had so much to see and do, so many people to save and care for, and there was no way in hell he would let this hurt them.

Digging beneath the fear, one would find guilt, confusion, and even a little pride. He had, after all, when everything was said and done, _**hospitalized**_ another student. The first emotion, guilt, was founded upon a few simple questions, questions he couldn't find the answers to. Why didn't he try harder to use non-lethal attacks? Had he just ended another student's chances of graduation? How could he live with himself, knowing that he left such a grave injury on another person? Alone, these questions would plague him, but combined with all of the emotions threatening to spill from him, he was certainly feeling the pressure. He felt confusion from what was happening, as his head was still pounding from the previous fight. Why was Glynda so determined to have him fight Cardin? Why wouldn't anyone believe he really was strong? How could anyone, especially trained, tested, _experienced_ hunters underestimate the sheer power and capabilities of a weapon, even one as old-school as his sword, when said weapon was at least a generation old, yet still in perfect condition? Still, he must admit to the sin of Pride, after all, he _did_ come out of the fight with a victory ( _and both arms, but hey, who's counting?)_.

Quickly running short on both time, and conscious thought, it was on wobbly legs that Jaune strode into the elevator. The ride up seemed almost dramatically slow, to the point that he was worried that the elevator might stop. What would he say, when he reached the top? What would _they_ say? Would he be allowed to defend himself? How angry were they, maybe he should just make a break for it right now? Glancing at the other occupant, he attempted to gauge her mood. Her stoic face, coupled with her sharp gaze, quickly deterred him. There was no way he was going to risk earning even more of her anger when he didn't yet know how severe his punishment would be.

At long last, the elevator stopped, and it was with a sort of childlike wonder that Jaune was able to walk into the room without some force acting upon him, be it physical or semblance related. Coming to a stop mere _feet_ away from the man that could decide his future, or lack thereof, he felt, oddly enough, underwhelmed. This man, who had most likely experienced more losses, and fought in more battles, than Jaune could ever hope to count, was just sitting there, staring at his desk. It was as if this matter before him were a slight nuisance, while a more worrisome event lay just on the horizon.

A deafening silence fell over the room, before Jaune realized exactly _why_ Ozpin was so focused on his desk. He heard the familiar sounds of his fight, and his panic was born anew. Maybe this was why he wasn't expelled or imprisoned yet? Had the headmaster _just_ seen his fight? It made sense, as it would be awhile before the police could even make it to beacon. Looking around the room for some form of salvation, he was disappointed when nothing obvious appeared. No matter, he was an Arc, honor and dignity practically defined the name, and he would not bow to cowardice. Straightening his back, he looked Ozpin in the eyes as he awaited his sentence.

"Mr. Arc, I must admit, while I always believed you hid great potential, I never anticipated it showing during a spar." He paused here, considering his own words before continuing. "You need not worry about this situation, I assure you, it will be handled with the utmost care." Glynda, unprepared for this particular turn, stepped forward with forceful purpose.

"Sir, surely you aren't letting him get away with what he's done?" Jaune could almost _feel_ the indignation in her tone. Maybe she saw this as a slight against her decision-making skills? Ozpin cut her off before she could continue, but what he said caught both visitors by surprise.

"May I see your sword for just a moment, Jaune?" Silence was his only response, Glynda frozen by the headmaster's seemingly cold shoulder, Jaune rooted in place by a combination of his own will and the damage done to him during the previous fight. Finally managing to master himself, Jaune took off his sword, quickly lobbing it, sheath and all, to Ozpin.

Standing up and drawing the blade in one fluid motion, Ozpin casually slid it across his own desk, visibly relaxing his grip as he did so. Beginning from his own side and leading the blade towards Glynda, he quickly strengthened his grip when he reached the edge, looking almost sheepishly at the new split he had put in his desk.

"It would seem that this particular blade is of very fine quality, although there is something else I'd like to test…" Bringing the blade in an upward arc, he swung down quickly and firmly - _on top of his own arm_. Jaune quickly affirmed that his headmaster was not a man to be pissed off. Concern marred his own face as he watched the blade's decent, wondering why his teacher was so keen to lose a limb. Of course, no moment may last forever, and Glynda gasped as the blade bit into Ozpin's arm. And went no further.

Barely even a centimeter into his arm, and it was stopped. Jaune was honestly confused, as everything he had cut before was **always** split. Nothing had withstood its edge before, not rocks, trees, or even most Grimm. Grimm Armor, on the other hand, was notoriously difficult to cut. He had honestly never tried his blade on another human, mostly out of concern for their health. The conflict that led to this situation notwithstanding.

"What were you thinking!?" Ozpin was quickly disarmed, as Glynda hurried over to a hidden compartment, apparently full of medical supplies. Jaune understood exactly what Ozpin was proving. Crocea Mors _was_ sharp, but there was no way it could continue through someone's Aura and still have enough power to finish the job. It was like cutting down a tree, the outside would be difficult to break through, and while the inside might be much softer and far easier to cut, you would still need to chop through the rest of the outer layer. It wasn't something normally done in a single swing, though comparing aura and flesh to wood is a bit silly.

"As you can see, while the blade is undoubtedly sharp, it would take far more than just a quick slash to cripple another student." Raising his hand before he could be interrupted, Ozpin gave a searching glance to Jaune, as if there was a secret hidden in plain sight. Although It had seemed the headmaster was content to ignore Jaune's horrid posture and shaking legs, he decided to continue his thought. "I believe I have an idea on why this might have happened, but I can see that Mister Arc is having a bit of trouble standing. You may leave, Jaune. Be sure to get some rest."

He was… free to go? No further questions, no lectures or detentions? _No jail time?_ It was odd, honestly, that he was allowed to go so soon. He would make sure to hurry to his dorm, both in hopes of getting sleep, and talking to his team. His team that _wasn't_ getting split up because of a rash decision he had made. Elation and trepidation filled his heart, both dreadful of his friends reactions _and_ excited to be able to see them again.

Of course, barely had he set foot in the elevator, before he collapsed from his head trauma that was healing significantly slower than he'd expected. As he slumped against the wall, Ozpin and Glynda stood on either side of him, most likely intent on guiding him to an infirmary. As the last vestiges of consciousness eluded his grasp, he heard one thing that made him relax.

"Mr. Winchester… cauterised, they say… should make a full recovery."

And then the darkness took him.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **So? SOOOO?! I know it was short, but what did you think?**

 **(I** _ **will**_ **be making efforts to lengthen the chapters, by the way.)**

 **Also, I do seem to be posting around 6 a.m. lately, so there might be some glaring mistakes, please let me know if you find any.**

 **Review, please? :3**

 **Have a nice day!**


	4. Aftermath

**A/N**

 **I wasn't sure about this chapter, and honestly I'm not all that confident that it's any good, so please let me know if anything seems forced, or makes absolutely no sense.**

 **Also, I suppose I should apologize for just how lazy I am when it comes to writing, as I just started this chapter on the morning of father's day, and only picked it back up every few weeks for another couple hundred words.**

 **Thank you everyone who is reviewing, and for those of you who were talking about Glynda: She isn't technically being an antagonist towards Jaune, she just** _ **really**_ **underestimated his own drive and ability. After all, how often does a student from the bottom of a class suddenly begin to stomp mud holes into his/her peers?(omitting fan fiction of course.) Anyway, the way I see it, yes she is being a bitch, but it's more like her personality combined with her job sort of just leaves her with such a personality. I like to think she was actually being lenient in giving Jaune one more chance, rather than just pushing for his expulsion on the spot. After all, would** _ **you**_ **like to be the person who almost knowingly sent a teenager to their death? On the other hand, if you mean she's too cruel during the trip to Ozpin's office, I thought of that as more of Jaune psyching himself out than anything else.**

 **I think I'm rambling again, I really need to find another time to write these instead of doing it all at 4 a.m.**

 **In any case, here's the chapter, so**

 **Do enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

 **Aftermath**

Jaune wasn't sure what exactly stood before him. His eyes refused to look away from it, and yet he couldn't clearly see what was in front of him. It was a mirror image of his own body, but whenever he tried to focus on a single detail, such as his eyes, everything would just blur together. Although he couldn't bring himself to look around, he knew they were standing in a flat expanse of white. There was nothing here but an exact replica of himself, standing so still, as if it were frozen in time.

Reaching out to touch the clone's chest, he found himself dragged inside by an arm coming out of said chest that looked suspiciously like his own. He felt no panic, in fact he didn't react at all, but that may have just been the shock from everything leading up to his current state. He knew he was unconscious, but he didn't know how he was supposed to wake up. Glancing around himself, he saw bits and pieces of his own past, memories that may have seemed trivial at the time, but that eventually led him to where he was today. It was almost blinding, watching as a select few memories took precedence over others.

Without so much as lifting a foot, he passed through this realm of memories, watching his family age from the eyes of his past self. He saw his siblings grow and mature, well, other than Vert, who had always been teased about her height. He saw his mother's kind smile, a feature that was always contrasting against her sharp blue eyes. Observed the way she cooked and cared for the family, how she talked with his sisters and himself, what things she did to pass the time. He saw his father's pride, the way his face lit up whenever his children did something to prove they could. It was surreal, he decided, to be forced to watch his life pass by on fast forward. Eventually his memories caught up to present time, and he was left standing before himself again.

Curiously, Jaune found himself able to move around. Walking away from himself, weird as that thought was, felt liberating. Maybe this was how he would wake up? But nothing came of it. He walked for what must have been an eternity, not bothered by things such as fatigue or boredom, before giving another direction a try. Turning to his left, he found his clone, simply standing there. It was certainly creepy, but somehow he had expected something like this.

Deciding to take the bull by the horns, he reached out for the copycat's face. He was still caught off guard by the arm reaching out of the body frozen in time, but was ultimately unconcerned. After all, he was inside his own mind at the moment, surely nothing here meant him any harm. Right?

He had not been expecting what he saw. Here he stood for a third time, looking at himself, except something was terribly wrong. He was on fire, covered in bright white flames that whipped and lashed around him. He saw the way this fire moved, as if it were being controlled, or even that the fire itself was sentient. Maybe now he was going to watch himself die by his own nightmares? Would this finally wake him up?

He studied his own figure swathed in flames for an uncountable period of time, wondering if he might have made a mistake in his first assumption. Something about seeing himself coated in this blinding fire was just, right. He had no other words to describe the feeling with. It was fairly morbid, the more he thought about it, and he sincerely hoped that this wouldn't be a sign of self-destructive thoughts he might have in the future.

Only one option was available to him at the moment, Jaune just wasn't sure if he really wanted to go through with it. It didn't take him long to decide, seeing as he'd made it this far by pure luck, so why not try for the grand prize? Reaching forward, with no small amount of hesitation, hands visibly shaking as he prepared to pull them away from the copycat, he tapped his own nose.

And nothing happened. Honestly, he just felt cheated at this point. All the stress that built up, all the time spent wondering about what might happen, and there was no climax? Not even another arm appearing to whisk him away to another section of this horribly dull world? Not to mention, that was his only chance to escape. Taking a look behind himself, seeing only that desolate expanse, something snapped inside. And it felt _good_. Bringing his hand up and balling it into a fist, feeling the heat of his anger filling his hand, he prepared to give his mirror self a flaming haymaker.

...

Hold up, flag the play, everyone take a step back. Looking suspiciously at his hand, which was in fact on fire, he saw a trail of that selfsame fire leading up his arm, linking up with… even more fire.

 _All over him._

In his defense, it was a _very manly_ scream.

* * *

Was it possible to pass out while unconscious? Would that instead wake you up? Jaune was abruptly thrown from his thoughts - and the table upon which he had been lying - when his team came rushing in. Hopefully he hadn't actually-

"Jaune? Are you okay? We heard screaming!" Pyrrha's panicked voice called out from the other side of the room, simultaneously cheering him up and destroying his hopes in the same moment.

Barely managing to move his arm, Jaune was excited to be able to tell his friends about his dream when he came to a sudden realization.

 _Everything. Hurt._

Before he could even hear his own cry of pain, Ren and Pyrrha had vaulted over the hard metal surface he had fallen from. He felt steady hands pull him up and place him back onto the table. They were asking questions, but all he could hear was a dull ringing, before falling back into his own little world.

* * *

"How did this happen?" A very calm Glynda Goodwitch asked of the conscious members of team JNPR. She glanced towards Jaunes form, sitting upon an examination table, with the rise and fall of his chest as the only sign of movement. He had, if his team was to be believed, somehow managed to wake up just long enough to roll off the table and give himself a mild concussion.

"We don't know, one minute he's still as stone, then when we left for lunch, he must have woken himself. We were just outside the door when we heard him screaming." Ren answered, letting his gaze wander to the fidgeting form of the still shaken Pyrrha Nikos. She was practically hovering over Jaune, holding her breath every time he so much as twitched in his sleep.

"I'll have the medical staff keep a closer eye on him then, but i must ask that you students go back to your dorm-" here she paused, raising her hand to stall the protests about to be thrown at her. "It is much too late for students to be awake, although I'll let the nurse on duty to allow you three to return in the morning, if only because you would come back here anyway." Glynda watched as the team seemed to have a silent conversation in front of her. Thankfully, they agreed that it was time to sleep, though they left the room with obvious hesitation.

As the students set off to leave the medical wing, Glynda spent another few seconds watching Jaune, checking over the list at the foot of his table, before leaving his room. She wasn't traveling too far, as she stopped a nurse in the hallway to notify her of the request to have a watchful eye over the blond boy's recovery that night. Stepping into another room just a brisk walk from Jaune's own, she quietly observed the calm slumber of Cardin Winchester. The boy's arm had, fortunately, been safely reattached, and he was scheduled to be released later in the week. Of course, he would be restricted to light duty until the staff was absolutely positive there would be no complications. She almost didn't notice the second observer in the room, as they were sitting so still.

Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon, sat in stoic silence, offering as simple nod to Glynda, before gesturing to a seat beside his own. She took the seat cautiously, as if the slightest noise might wake the patient. For an extended period of time, not a thing was said between the two. Ozpin, graciously, broke the tension.

"Don't blame yourself for this, Glynda. You had no knowledge of how the fight would unfold, though i am disappointed that you threatened the boy with expulsion." He didn't react visibly when she scoffed, deciding to wait for her to say her piece.

"With respect, sir, I don't believe for a second that this was out of my control. Did you know that Mr. Arc asked for other ways to show his skill? At the time, I just believed his words to be false boasting, I thought he was being particularly disrespectful to his peers. I-I had hoped his fight with Winchester would teach him a lesson. I was terribly wrong, and now both students are hospitalized, and we don't even know what happened to Jaune to cause his state." She finished with a shaking breath, allowing herself a few moments to show grief.

"Be that as it may, we had no foreknowledge that Jaune would be able to cause such a wound. His transcripts were falsified, his aura only recently unlocked, and the only notable traits we have been able to glean from him are his loyalty and determination. You shouldn't blame yourself for causing this situation." Seeing Glynda about to respond with less than kind words, he held a hand up, much the same way she had done earlier.

"If you still wish to hold this event over your own head, then all I can ask of you is to try and prevent a situation such as this from ever happening again. I am not disappointed in your choices, but perhaps a little more care for your students opinions might be called for. Now, I do believe it is getting late, so I shall be heading in for the night." Having finished the conversation, Ozpin's rose from his chair, pausing only shortly at the door to wish Glynda a good night's rest, before leaving.

Glynda would sit in that chair for another few minutes before also heading back to her home, but not before checking in on Jaune and the nurse that was scheduled to watch over him this shift.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Well. Hi. Still alive, but veeeery tired. ;-;**

 **I'm having a good time. Doing good things. Like sleepy things.**

 **I'm not even sure what I'm doing anymore, I may need some help with this story. (^-^)7**

 **We'll see.**

 **Same deal as every other chapter, if you see any blatant, flow breaking, annoying issues, be they in the plot or in the spelling, please let me know. Maybe take the time to review, let me know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing horrifically wrong.**


	5. Tingling Sensation

**A/N**

 **Hi, how are ya? Been good? I haven't, as you may very well be able to see from my lack of activity.**

 **Heh. Just for the sake of doing it, I'll even post my activity on this chapter, though I'm only counting it as visited when I add more than 100 words or change the story bits around.**

 **I started this chapter on October 9th.**

 **100 words.**

 **Have just picked it back up October 22nd.**

 **644 words.**

 **December 26th: 1050 words.**

 **January 5th: 1280 words.**

 **January 9th: 2000 words.**

 **Posting it!**

 **Do enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

 **Tingling Sensation**

He was falling, his breath had left him, his heart stopped beating. Down, down, and further still he fell, absent in fear as he was in hope. This was death, this eternal drop. He could not move, he could not shout, the air that passed by held no scent, not that he could inhale to find out. Although there was nothing for him to taste, he could very well assume that sense was out the door as well. Though he was frozen, dead, and falling, one thing would not leave him alone.

His final sense, encompassing that feeling of touch. He could _feel_ the cold, even as the air _brushed_ past his body. He _felt_ a weight, undefined and unobservable, even as it _pulled_ him. Most of all, deep inside the place one might find a soul, he felt heat. Neither destructive or bright, a flame grew within his sacred self. As he fell, the fire spread throughout his body, halted only by the flesh that defined him. Thus came to be, that even in this lifeless void, a man might still be annoyed by the tingling sensation of his own nerves. It grew and forced itself against the prison of flesh. A corpse was no match for the soul trapped within, thoughtful or otherwise. It slithered and expanded, always increasing in magnitude, until it finally found the path out.

Or paths, as was the case.

Through his tongue and throat, he could easily taste thick smoke and rich ash, as if he had inhaled the source itself, although, 'exhaled' fit far more accurately. From his nose, a charred, yet smokey scent made itself known. He felt hunger rise as his mouth tried to water, but no food would be found for those who could do without. Soft crackling, sharp sparking, violent roaring, all engulfed his ears. The flames of Hell, he might have mused, are worryingly soothing to my spirit. Finally, his last sense, and yet the most valued, sight. He could not see, and all the same he could see everything. The light forced him to squint, even as he gazed lazily at his own form.

His old form.

And then he hit the bottom, all of his velocity leaving him in an instant, not that he would know, because the feeling of falling had forced him awake.

"Shit!" Jaune yelled, jumping up from the bed he had been asleep in barely seconds ago.

Looking around the room proved to be difficult, as if someone had placed a spotlight in front of his face. Bright, blindingly white light burned it's way into his pupils, preventing him from ever seeing more than a few blurry shapes around the room. He could just barely make out a very strangely designed couch that was placed beside the bed, adorned with orange, black, and tan pillows, apparently decorated with a rather fancy trim. His eyes slowly began to adjust to the light, even as he desperately tried to ascertain where it was he had awoke. So far he gathered a blue-white bed, a very fancy-most likely of sophisticated design-couch, and a sun hanging from the middle of the room. Nearby, sitting just to the left of the bed, was a chair just as oddly designed as the couch that sat across from it. A high-backed chair, with vibrant red paint and beautifully crafted gold accents, proving that this was something of noble bearing, a rare piece very few would associate with someone like himself. Oddly enough, the chair almost seemed to wobble, as if some unseen force acted upon it. Turning back to the last section of this strange room, Jaune realized that his eyes felt dry and irritated. Holding them closed for just a scant few seconds, he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, opening them to find that he had finally adjusted to the light.

He was stunned.

Not by the decor, mind you. All around the room where basic home furnishings, perfect for recovering patients, such as himself. He was not awed by the knowledge that the 'hanging sun' was actually a light bulb. No, Jaune was stunned because, immediately after opening his eyes, he was locked into a staring contest with one Lie Ren.

"Should I be dissatisfied by the fact that I am just 'Lie Ren', or just grateful that he didn't poetically call me a piece of furniture?" Though Ren maintained eye contact with Jaune, it was painfully obvious he was speaking to someone else. His smile also gave Jaune the impression that he was being messed with.

Hearing excessive giggling, Jaune swallowed his spit and prepared to defend his tattered pride. Keeping his face as stoic as he could, he turned to face the source of laughter. What had once been a strange couch was now Nora, sitting on a couch, trying (read: failing) to keep herself from laughing. He wondered if everything he had thought while he was waking up had been broadcast to everyone in his room.

Mortified, Jaune came to the very sudden, fairly obvious, realization of _why_ there might be a quivering gold and red chair beside his bed. Glancing at the chair, almost laughing himself at how silly he was acting(as if Pyrrha would be anywhere else), he found himself surprised to see an empty red chair, with soft gold decorations. Gazing without comprehension, he squinted and focused on the chair, as if willing his partner to appear out of thin air. The sensation of cold water sliding up his neck was ignored entirely, even as his hands became numb. Finally accepting that she wasn't somehow invisible to his senses, he sighed before turning back towards Ren and Nora, only to find himself face to face with the person he was looking for. Belatedly, he could still taste smoke and ash on his tongue, which was probably doing _wonders_ to his morning breath.

"Hello again!" With a smirk and a tilt of her head, she obviously knew he had been looking for her. Her cheeks were a bit red, but no more than might be expected of this rather cold room.

"H-hey Pyrrha, what's up?" Aw c'mon, that sounded stupid, why couldn't he be more charismatic? Cutting his losses, and hoping she treated his question as a greeting, Jaune gestured to his team, gathered together in this little room. Man, that put a smile on his face every time he thought about it. His friends would always be there for him, and he would certainly do the same.

"So, first order of business, what's been going on while I was, er, resting?" Wonderful, that should get the ball rolling. Maybe he had only missed a few classes or even slept in for a day? What class would they be in around now, if that were the case? Looking at the clock on the wall, he assumed it would be a few minutes until Professor Port's class…

Was it too late to fake a concussion? More importantly, did he actually have a concussion? Was smelling burnt wood and fabric a symptom of his head injury? Looking to his friends for advice, he saw Ren's eyes suddenly shining with inner knowledge, as if he had an epiphany. Ren hurriedly shoved and prodded his teammates, all the while they seemed to reach that same glowing understanding.

It was getting awfully hot in the room, but between the newly discovered head trauma and the attention of his team, he couldn't help but feel nervous. Taking a step back, he lowered himself onto the chair that reminded him of Pyrrha, easily disregarding the feeling of a soft breeze as it washed over his body. He definitely needed to get his head checked if he felt wind in a sealed room. Ah, and now his friends were absolutely going into a frenzy. Would he be able to restrain them until a doctor or nurse came by?

Hell no. If Nora's exuberance didn't slap him into fine paste, then certainly Pyrrha would just walk right over him. In fact, she was walking towards him right now. Well, actually she was leaping, but that wasn't a concern at the moment.

 _ **Squee~l! Squee~l! Squee~l!**_

The fire alarm that just suddenly decided to lose its shit? That was far more important. If this wasn't a drill, they could be in real danger. He needed to get his team out of here as fast as possible. Remembering the layout for the building, as well as the easiest routes to get out of the building, he made a plan, along with a few backups, and prepared to set out.

And _then_ _Pyrrha tackled him._

The last thing he saw was the frame of the bed he had been resting on, even as it went up in spectacularly bright flames. The last thing he felt was shared betwixt his physical and mental nerves. Pain flared against the back of his head, even as his consciousness wearily withdrew itself.

However, a strong feeling assailed his failing mind. It propped him up, set him against a wall, and proceeded to force him back to full awareness. This wonderful sensation? Kindly twas annoyance. Thus, he rose again from slumber, far and away from the realms that plagued him nightly. He cried out against the void that would assail him so ferociously, words forming before rational thought could cull them.

*Oh fuck no!" Jaune shouted, barely managing to catch himself, and then Pyrrha, before they could hit the floor. He rose suddenly, pulling her up, blissfully ignorant of the breeze surrounding him.

Of course, it would not do, holding this anger towards his own partner. Surely she had a reason to all but attack him? Even as he turned to ask, fate prepared a new interruption, this being the Emergency Rescue and Aid staff stationed at Beacon. The room was filled to bursting with foam and water, coating the students, cutting off their access to oxygen.

Panic ensued.

Surprisingly, (depending on who's perspective you used,) Ren was the first to react, leaping headfirst for the doorway. Conveniently, for no other word or combination thereof would fit, he was immediately out of the vicinity of Nora Valkyrie's quite extensive reach.

For good reason, of course, as he could stop the apparently all too excited crew that was… 'helping' his friends. After all, his other teammates could probably withstand at least a few hits from Magnhild. Yup, they had avoided a tragedy here, as the fire that started inside Jaune's room had been swiftly, if a bit too assuredly, snuffed out. He almost gave himself a pat on the back, as his quick thinking was able to calm down the response team before anything bad happened. He felt a breeze tussle his hair, a breathless 'why' uttered into existence for but a moment.

And then, only then, did Jaune slam, full force and all-abandon, into the far wall of patient room 12. It should be noted that Jaune's own room was 15. Conveniently, in the matter of ease and not coincidence, Jaune left his wakeful mind in his original room.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Anybody else noticing that I seem to really like knocking Jaune unconscious? I mean, I'm really starting to see too much of a pattern there, so I guess I'll just have to change it up next chapter.**

 **Whenever** _ **THAT**_ **comes around, however, is an entire subject in and of itself. Though I might,** _ **might**_ **, try to apply myself to writing more.**

 **Might.**

 _ **(I'M LAZY)**_

 **So, if you see any, and I do mean** _ **any**_ **, glaring mistakes or plot holes, please let me know. I'm almost begging you.**

 **Oh! And I am still interested in finding out what you like and don't like, so don't forget to review… er if you want, that is.**


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